The Art of Falling
by XxFleetingEmbracexX
Summary: The four times Stefan falls for Soren, and the one time he catches him, literally. Slash/Yaoi. AU. All-Human.


**Author Note: I would like to say that I am, first and foremost, and Ike/Soren fan, but I couldn't resist to write this Stefan/Soren fic. Honestly, I think that this is a really interesting couple. **

**Warnings: Slash/Yaoi. Although, to me this is pure shonen-ai. Fluffy fluff. Alternate Universe. All-Human. OOC, I tried my hardest to not make them too awful though.**

**Reviews are appreciated, flames are disregarded.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my idea. ^_^**

**.**

At age fifteen Stefan first saw the large, scarlet eyes that captivated him. They stared up at him in silent wonder, Stefan inwardly wondered how the small girl could go without blinking for such a long time. Her medium length, raven hair was a tangled mess and her worn clothes were dirtied with grass stains and mud. Stefan ran a hand through his own jade colored hair and smiled down at the five-year-old.

"Stefan, could you-" The girl's voice died down when she reached the two.

Stefan finally looked away from the little girl and faced his sister, "Hey, Elincia, what's her name? I don't think I've met her before." His question was innocent enough, but the reaction he received was unexpected. His sister pressed her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing, her cheeks flushing, but as soon as she saw the little 'girl' give a nice strong kick to her brother's shin (that had him tumbling over) she gasped in amused worry.

"S-Soren, you mustn't hit people." The girl reprimanded. Stefan was currently clutching his left leg with both his hands, sitting on the hardwood floor. Soren simply huffed in annoyance, turned on the heel of his foot, and walked away.

"What the hell?" Stefan asked in a mixture of confusion and irritation, the latter because his sister doubled over in laughter once the kid had left.

"He really hates it when people confuse him for a girl." Elincia replied, enjoying the look of shock on her brother's face.

"But, she, I mean…he?"

"Yes, when I first saw him I assumed the same thing and got watermelon all over my face." Stefan only grimaced in return, the only thought roaming through his head was that this had been the first time since he was a little kid that he had fallen down, and not by accident mind you, that little kid was a terror.

That had been his second week of community service at Greil's Home for Children, and his first encounter with Soren.

…..

At age eight, Soren was well aware that what he was doing was going to get him into trouble. Because the home had few volunteers they didn't have enough eyes to watch the children's every move so certain activities were prohibited; climbing a tree was one of them. The young boy was delicately perched on top of the highest branch of a tree that was at least ten-feet high. He swung his thin legs as he looked up at the sky, enjoying the cool weather autumn had to offer. He ignored the nagging chattering of the kids who reminded him that he was breaking a rule, and that he was going to get in trouble, glaring at the goody-two-shoes girl that scurried away to find an adult to get Soren down. His head snapped down to the boy that was making his way toward him.

"Marcy, calm down, sweetie, I can't understand you." His voice was meant to calm her down, but it only seemed to rile her up. Marcia let go of his hand and pointed at the tree Soren was on.

"He'll fall." She all but screamed. Stefan looked up and locked eyes with scarlet, he couldn't help but smirk.

"Always the troublemaker," Stefan murmured to himself. Before beginning his climb up the tree, Stefan told Marcia to go round up the kids for supper, always eager to help she bounded off toward the playground to do just that.

"Are you going to come down yourself, or do I have to come get you?" Stefan asked, not able to keep the smile from his face. The little boy glared down at him.

"No!" Stefan's eyes softened upon hearing the other's voice. When Soren was first brought to the Home he had not been able to utter a single word. His biological mother had given him up and his adoptive one had neglected him severely. With incredible patience and a lot of effort in part of Titania, the Home's teacher/child psychologist, Soren had learned to speak properly, read and write. Stefan shook his head in amusement before grabbing onto the tree's trunk. He was halfway up the tree when he heard a rustling from above his head. He looked up and was directly in front of a very large, multicolored, spider. He gasped before realizing he had detached himself from the trunk, with a low groan he landed on his back on the semi-hard ground. When he opened his eyes he was met with a, to his sock and concealed delight, worried face.

"I'm all right, don't worry." Stefan said as he patted the young boy's head, noting that his raven locks were getting longer. Soren glowered, slapping away the other's hand before he stood up.

"I wasn't worried… idiot." With that he walked away. Stefan couldn't help but chuckle at the boy's antics.

For three days Soren had avoided him like he was a leper.

…..

The atmosphere in the Home was one of misery. Everyone was either choking back tears, or grieving silently. The kids were all dressed in black and were huddled together. Today was the day of Greil's funeral service. The man that many had seen as a father figure, and some had affectionately dubbed 'Papa Greil' had been unremorsefully murdered. His murder was a tragic example of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Stefan squeezed his eyes closed as he felt the onslaught of a growing headache. When he opened them again his gaze rested on Ike and Mist, Greil's now orphaned children. Mist was holding a framed picture of Greil carrying her when she was a baby, with Ike clinging to their mother's long skirt beside them. Her eyes were swollen and red with small droplets of tears clinging to her eyelashes. Ike was beside her staring at his hands, he hadn't said much these past few days. That was when Stefan realized that something was off. In the past days Soren had not left Ike's side, they had been attached to the hip. Stefan knew Ike had a soft spot for the young boy, and that Soren regarded Ike highly. Right now the only logical thing should be Soren snugly encased in Ike's arms, but he was nowhere to be seen. Stefan softly let his sister now that he would step out for a while and without waiting for a reply he walked out the door.

The weather today seemed to reflect the gloomy mood. Dark grey clouds littered the sky as the faint sound of approaching thunder was heard. It was raining lightly, as if the heavens themselves were weeping. He walked a few feet until he saw the familiar, ever growing, blue/black hair that belonged to the petite Soren.

"Any particular reason why you are out here, instead of in there?" Stefan asked nodding toward the house. Soren was sitting mere inches away from him with his knees securely pressed against his chest, arms wrapped around them. By now he was completely drenched in rain water, and his clothes were smudged with mud.

"I hate being in there. Shedding tears for the dead will not bring them back." Soren's voice was tight, his eyes refusing to look up at Stefan.

Stefan hummed in response before kneeling down beside the boy, "Soren, sometimes the only way for people to feel better is for them to cry. It's a way for the heart to heal."

"Well, that's stupid." Soren tried to sound disdainful but his voice broke.

"I'm going to miss him too." Stefan said before he looked away when he saw Soren furiously rub his eyes. The greenhead tentatively brushed his hand through Soren's wet hair and was surprised when his hand wasn't slapped away. He did it once more before pulling his hand back, not wanting to push his luck, and cleared his throat.

"Well, as much as you may hate being in there, there is someone who could use your presence." Stefan explained before Soren was on his feet and started running toward the house.

"Don't run you'll-" The taller boy's warning was cut short when he slipped on a particularly muddy patch of grass and fell over. With a groan he pulled his head from the wet ground and rubbed his face.

"You should have followed your warning." Soren teased as he bent down, locking eyes with the older boy.

"This is your fault you know." Stefan countered as he stood up. Soren's eyes widened.

"What? I didn't trip you, nor did I persuade you to run after me."

"Yeah, well, if you hadn't started…"

Their discussion continued until they got inside the house were they were given curious looks regarding their appearance. Soren ignored everyone except Ike, giving him a small nod before he headed up toward his room to change, and Stefan simply sighed and rejoined his sister's side, ignoring her questioning gaze.

…..

When Soren turned sixteen he made the conscious decision of becoming a permanent volunteer at the children's Home instead of going off to live his life like others had done after they turned eighteen. The cause of this life altering decision was Stefan, the, now man, he was beginning to respect.

It was a few days before Christmas and everyone in the house was fretting. The older kids could somewhat understand that because of recent events going on in the country and in the Home itself, their yearly celebration of Christmas would have to be cancelled. However, when the news spread to the ears of the younger children havoc erupted. Incessant questions of why filled the house. Soren grimaced as he tried to excuse himself from yet another child that was pulling at the hem of his too-large sweater asking him if it was really true that 'Santa Claus was disappeared'. Soren fought his basic urge to correct the boy on his grammar and how Santa wasn't real. With a sigh he mentally weighed his punishment for doing just that, but was spared from taking a decision when Stefan walked into the living room. At twenty-six years old the grown man toward over both of them and he had to lean down to undo the grip the boy had on Soren's sweater.

"Hey there, don't cry, little one. Why don't you go and play. I promise that all of you will have a wonderful Christmas this year." The boy in his arms sniffed and rubbed at his eyes believing the kind words; with a smile he hugged the man and ran off. All the while, Soren watched with incredulous eyes.

"How could you promise something like that? You know that-" Soren was cut off by Stefan's hand over his mouth.

"Oh, ye of little faith. There's something I need your help with." Soren's scarlet eyes narrowed, they were the only thing on his face visible over Stefan's hand, as he tried to remove the offending hand off his face. Over the years the two of them had become, what some may call 'friends,' however, Soren was still sensitive to someone touching him so suddenly, not even Ike who he considered like a brother was allowed that. Once the hand was removed Soren was unremorsefully pulled toward the door.

"Wh-where are going, it's freezing out here." Soren asked when he saw they were heading toward Stefan's car. With a reluctant grunt the smaller boy got into the thing he still considered unsafe. Cars where beginning to pop up here and there all over the country, and although the manufacturer claimed they were safe and convenient Soren still felt uneasy around them.

"We are going to buy presents for the children." The statement had Soren gaping at him. Quite a sight to see from a person who was usually so stoic.

"What?" His confusion wasn't held back.

"Elincia and I don't have much, but when we told our parents the situation the Home was in they made a generous donation to help us out, and with what I've earned from working we were able to pool our money together to at least have a small celebration this year. No one else knows besides you, we want it to be a surprise." Stefan explained all of this with a smile on his face and when he was done he gave Soren a few minutes to process this.

"All of this for a foolish tradition that doesn't serve any significant purpose." Soren said this softly, his gaze locked on his hands that were resting on top of his lap. He had recalled Stefan's late night arrivals from, and early departures to, his work. He would return worn out, the stress showing on his face yet he would still interact with the kids at the home, including Soren. The younger boy would sometimes notice his tired demeanor and would suggest the other go and rest, but Stefan would brush it off and say he was fine. His mind came back to him when he heard the other's voice.

"A foolish tradition that would always bring a smile to your lips whenever you received a present or a warm smile from others in the Home. That's what I want those kids to experience, especially those that are new, they all deserve a special Christmas." Stefan was almost sure that the red staining Soren's cheeks wasn't from the cold temperature.

Soren cleared his throat and without looking up spoke, "so, why bring me along?"

Stefan chuckled, that caused Soren to look at him, "As much as you hate to acknowledge it, the kids absolutely adore you. Maybe it's because they still see you as one of them, you know, because of your stature," a well deserved glare was thrown at him that made Stefan smirk inwardly. "Or, it could be the way you interact with them, you don't spoil them, but you actually talk to them and listen to them, although sometimes you might say some things kids their age shouldn't hear, they still follow you around. So, I assumed because of that you would be the one who would know what each of them wanted for Christmas, and I'm sure I'm right ." He grinned cheekily, ignoring Soren's annoyed expression.

..

After spending half a day at the shopping center, Soren heaved a sigh of relief when they had finally finished their shopping and were heading back home. They exchanged small talk over how busy the stores had been and when they were a few minutes from the Home they discussed where they would keep the things they had bought.

"I'll take them to Elincia's house. She has enough space and can help me wrap them up." Stefan said. Soren nodded.

"Oh, and before I forget, in two days I'll need to go shopping for ingredients to prepare a small feast on Christmas Eve, and you are welcomed to join me." Soren shot him a questioning look before he nodded in acceptance.

"Alright." With that the boy hopped off the car and watched as Stefan drove away.

As soon as he walked through the door of the Home he was pulled into an embrace by Mist. It was brief, but it still made Soren uncomfortable, even though he knew the girl well, he was grateful when she released him. Her azure eyes looked him up and down before she smiled.

"Oh, Soren, we were worried about you. When it was time for lunch and you didn't come to eat with us Ike went to look for you and said you were gone. Are you all right?" Mist was on the verge of reaching for him again when Ike walked into the room. His eyes immediately fell on the younger boy and he quickly made his way toward him. The previous look of worry on his face made Soren feel a little guilty for having been out of the house the whole day, and that he had actually _enjoyed _spending time with Stefan.

..

Christmas arrived and the house was in an uproar. The minute the smaller kids raced down the stairs and straight to the Christmas tree, that had been put out and decorated yesterday after Stefan and Elincia had delivered it to them, the excited kids could barely contain their joy when they saw all of the presents under the tree. Tatiana, the first responsible adult on site, gasped in shock and gripped Boyd's arm as soon as he reached her side. With all of the commotion the rest of the still sleeping inhabitants of the house woke up and raced downstairs.

Soren yawned and stretched his arms over his head as he walked toward the rowdy scene. Last night, after their surprise dinner (courtesy of Stefan and Elincia, Soren didn't count himself because all he did was help with the shopping) Soren had helped Stefan carry in all of the presents they had retrieved and helped arrange them under the tree. He stifled another yawn when he caught the emerald eyes of the older man. Stefan was on the opposite side of the room, arms crossed, smile in place, as he watched the smaller boy with amusement in his eyes. Soren was, for the first time in his life, unsure of what to do. The unwavering gaze of the older man made him feel vulnerable, unsure, and, to his horror, excited. The scarlet-eyed boy refused to meet the other's eyes again and he instead occupied himself in watching the young children smiling in glee at finding presents with their name on the label. However, his eyes strayed toward the other side of the room (not toward Stefan, Soren reassured himself) and caught the man handing gift wrapped boxes to Titania, Boyd, Oscar, Rhys, and Ranulf.

"I can't believe they did this." The voice startled Soren. He turned to its owner and found Ike standing beside him. The eighteen-year old had never before looked quite so content in Soren's opinion, the look blossoming even more when he looked over at his sister, who was eagerly chatting with Ranulf about what each of them had received. Soren noticed how his eyes softened even more at the pair, and he vaguely wondered whether if Mist was the only reason why he had that look on his face. Nevertheless, that wasn't of Soren's concern and he didn't question Ike over it.

"Well, from my years of experience with both of them I can honestly say that they are far to altruistic for their own good. Next, thing you know they'll be exploited until they lose every cent to their names." Soren said this tersely. Ike smiled down at him, knowing him well enough to decipher what he had just said was out of concern for the siblings. With a chuckle Ike ruffled the smaller boy's hair, ignoring the other's unhappy grunt.

"Merry Christmas, Soren." Ike said before walking toward his sister. Soren smoothed out his tousled hair before he swiftly turned on his heel and exited the busy room. When the cold winter air first hit him he shivered uncontrollably, teeth chattering and all, and it took all of his willpower not to run back inside the warm house. After a minute or two he maintained control of the shivers running throughout his body and he instead focused on the calming scenery in front of him.

The entire world was white. At least it appeared to be from where he was standing. The entire expanse of land was covered by billions upon billions of shimmering snowflakes. The sky above him was also bathed in white, although not from the same material as the ground, it nonetheless looked beautiful. Soren then looked down at his uncovered hands and noted that he was almost the same shade as the world around him. The only things that made him stand out from the whiteness of it all were his scarlet eyes, his ebony hair, and his dark clothing.

"Why on earth are you out here?" Soren didn't need to turn around to know who had addressed him, he did so anyway. He felt small, oddly vulnerable, standing next to Stefan; it was all so confusing now.

"I was just… clearing my head." Soren said honestly.

"Hmm, and you found it wise to do so out here? I'm sure it is well below zero degrees, so why not come back inside." Stefan's last sentence was more of an order than a suggestion. Soren frowned at him, he hated being questioned, but regardless of that he agreed and began to walk toward the house. He heard the crunching sound of Stefan's footsteps behind him and in a strange way that helped him relax for a moment, his racing mind winding down, however what he heard next had him turning around so quickly he almost fell on top of Stefan. The man was on his rear, his elbows holding up his upper body, he had an expression caught between shock and amusement.

"It was slippery." He answered the question written all over Soren's face as the younger boy looked down at him. Soren bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing at the man while he helped him up.

The two then proceeded on their journey home (really, it was just a few feet away) and once inside Stefan handed Soren the last gift under the tree (Soren hadn't even realized there was a present for him). A red-faced Soren took it reluctantly, ignoring Ike's questioning gaze at his odd behavior, and thanked the man with a brief hug. Stefan couldn't help but laugh as he watched the young boy disappear from sight.

He had taken a fall for something the other boy had willingly given him: a hug. Soren avoided him until New Years.

…..

It has been approximately four months since Soren turned eighteen and was able to acquire a job to help maintain the Home. It wasn't anything special by any means. All he did was help clean rooms in the few hotels that were found in town, but the pay was sufficient. Today, Soren had the day off, his only day off, so he was determined to relax as much as possible before he had to help Ike with the Home's budget for that month. Yet, it seemed that would be unlikely as soon as he heard Mist's shriek coming from the kitchen. He was innocently passing by there when Mist rushed through the door and spotted him.

"Oh, Soren! You aren't going to believe this." The girl gave him no time to respond. "Ike and Ranulf are a couple." She said in a whisper. Soren blinked at her and sighed as he scooted a bit away from her.

Mist pouted, "you knew?"

Soren nodded, he had in fact been told from Ike himself. This had occurred around six months ago, however, Soren suspected their relationship was far longer than that. As far as Soren knew he was the only one to know about their relationship, Ike feared that Mist would react badly to his sexuality and he didn't have the courage to come out yet, neither did. That's why they were waiting to reveal the nature of their relationship.

"Aww, no fair. Tormod just told me he and Sothe had seen them holding hands out by the lake." Mist crossed her arms.

_'Looks like the secret is out, Ike.'_ Soren thought grimly.

"Mist, you are not upset with him because of this, right?" Soren inquired seriously.

"Hmm? Why would I be?" Mist countered, an expression of confusion on her pretty face. Soren couldn't help but smile at her.

"It is irrelevant now. Thank you for being a good sister to Ike, Mist." Realization hit Mist then and she gasped.

"D-did he think I would reject him for it?" Mist was close to shrieking again. Soren wasn't sure if he should answer or not, but his silence was all Mist needed.

"That moron. I'm going to chew him out for this. How could he not know his own sister?" Mist scowled as she stalked off, presumably to go find her moron of a brother. Soren stared after her not sure if what just happened truly happened.

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised." The voice was eerily familiar and had Soren whipping around to face the man.

"Eavesdropping isn't polite."

"I wouldn't say I was eavesdropping; I was just involuntarly listening to something that wasn't meant for my ears." Stefan replied cheekily.

"And, do **_you _**have a problem with what you heard?" Soren asked, eyes daring Stefan to say something that Soren would take offense to.

"No, not at all. On the contrary, I feel like now I have something else in common with your dear friend Ike." Stefan's reply caused Soren to falter.

"You…" Soren was at a loss for words.

"Yes, I share his interests. Actually, a few years ago we shared one very similar interest, but that particular person was a bit too young for me, and Ike was still confused about where his sexuality stood. However, given the circumstances now, I'd like to say that I might have a chance with my interest." Stefan was standing closer to Soren. The younger one wasn't stupid, he knew what the older man was implying, but he wasn't sure how to respond. His feeling for the man were as follows; annoyance, respect (oddly enough), and affection, but did that mean he liked him enough to deepen their relationship? He looked up meeting jade colored eyes. He might.

"I…" Soren was beginning to feel irritated toward his lack of articulation.

"It's all right, Soren. I'm not pushing you into anything; I still think you might be too young for me. However, I wanted you to know where I stand. It also helped knowing that you held no interest in Ike, other than that of a friend. So, know that you know don't pressure into anything you don't honestly want." Soren searched Stefan's face for any sign that this may all just be a joke and when he found none he made up his mind. This man had been in his life since he had been five, and, without him even relazing it, he had become a big part of Soren's life. He wouldn't change anything that had occurred to him because of this man, and he wouldn't mind continuing to share more moments with him.

"Stefan-" What was to be said next was cut short when one of the kids decided it would be a great idea to go past them while riding his trycycle. Soren quickly moved out of the way but was unable to keep his balance. With a yelp (he would forever deny) he almost hit the wooden floor before a pair of strong arms caught him. Soren gripped the man's black shirt trying, and failing, to will his blush away.

"I've got you." Those words snapped Soren into reality. He looked into the face of the man that made him feel so much, yet relaxed him with few words.

"I'm not being pushed into anything, however contrary what just occurred may seem, and I don't believe you're too old for me. And, although our personalites may clash, you seem to be one of the few people that understands me completely. Also, I'm not one who would fall as a victim to pressure, so what I'm about to do next is entirely because I want to."

Soren finished his speech by moving his thin arms around Stefan's neck and guiding the man's face down towards his until their lips met, for the first time.

-Fin-


End file.
